October 28, 2024
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College
Every wrestling team has an X-factor wrestler, someone who could be a difference maker and play a key role in whether that wrestling team reaches its goals during the season.
Below is a look at one X-factor wrestler on each of the top-10 teams at the 2024 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships that could help determine that team's fate in March.
Cornell. The Nittany Lions return almost all their firepower from last season's history-making team, with the exception of four-time NCAA champion and Olympic bronze medalist Aaron Brooks. With Big Ten champion Braeden Davis moving up from 125 pounds to 133 pounds, one new face in the PSU lineup this season will be Luke Lilledahl, a true freshman at 125 pounds. Lilledahl won his second age group world title in freestyle this year and fourth age group world medal. He already has freestyle wins over top contenders in the 125-pound weight class. Lilledahl's performance might not make a difference in Penn State winning its fourth consecutive title but could be the difference in whether the Nittany Lions are as dominant as last season.
Greg Diakomihalis, the younger brother of four-time NCAA champion Yianni Diakomihalis, was a five-time New York state champion. He compiled a career record of 219-2 in NYSPHSAA matches. Diakomihalis has battled injuries (missed all of his sophomore season) and has been stuck behind teammate Brett Ungar at 125 pounds. With Ungar moving up to 133 pounds this season, Diakomihalis is getting his opportunity to start for the Big Red at 125 pounds. He has beaten ranked wrestlers as a spot starter and begins this season ranked in the top 20. The 125-pound weight class is once again expected to be balanced and likely chaotic. Cornell has its sights set on another team trophy. Diakomihalis will be counted on to contend for All-America honors at 125 pounds despite never wrestling at the NCAAs.
Lemley, a four-time state champion and Super 32 Challenge champion, was one of the nation's top true freshmen last season. He opened people's eyes all season, picking up wins over multiple All-Americans. His breakthrough performance came in early February when he won by major decision (14-2) over 2023 NCAA finalist Real Woods of Iowa. He avenged a loss to Nebraska's Brock Hardy at the Big Ten Championships. Lemley was seeded to become an All-American at the NCAAs but fell short, going a disappointing 1-2 and scoring only one team point for the Wolverines. Michigan will need Lemley to be a key contributor in March if they want to repeat or exceed last season's third-place finish.
Johnson, a Big 12 champion at 149 pounds in 2023, was one of the Iowa State athletes (unjustly) charged in 2023 in a sports gambling probe at Iowa State, which made him ineligible to compete in the Cyclone lineup last season. The charges were eventually dismissed. Now Johnson is back and expected to contend for All-America honors. He will start the season at 157 pounds. Johnson has notched some big wins in his career, including a 9-4 victory over 2024 Olympian and NCAA finalist Austin Gomez. He has shown that he is capable of beating top wrestlers but has also taken some unexpected, head-scratching losses. Iowa State will need Johnson to wrestle to his potential in the postseason. "I'm motivated this year, obviously," Johnson said on Oct. 22 during Iowa State's media day. "I want to prove myself. I feel like I'm the best in the world. I want everyone else to feel like that so I'm just going to keep training."
Expectations are high for Iowa this season with multiple All-Americans returning and three transfer All-Americans also joining the team. There will be plenty of experience in the Hawkeye lineup. Iowa will need some of its young wrestlers like Gabe Arnold to make an impact if they want to contend for a team title. Arnold, a top recruit in 2023, is coming off a strong redshirt campaign. He compiled a 12-1 record with wins over four ranked wrestlers. His lone loss came to three-time All-American Dustin Plott of Oklahoma State. Arnold is an extremely confident, highly-skilled young wrestler that should be in the mix for a high finish at the NCAAs at 174 pounds.
Larkin, the son of Arizona State wrestling great Eric Larkin, is coming off a redshirt season in which his wrestling development was mostly focused on freestyle. Last November, Larkin won a gold medal at the Bill Farrell Memorial International, becoming the youngest wrestler to win a title at the tournament. He also competed at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in April. In his ASU debut (while redshirting), Larkin pinned NCAA round of 12 finisher Zach Redding of Iowa State in 48 seconds. The Sun Devils lost two of its top wrestlers this season after multiple-time All-Americans Kyle Parco and Jacori Teemer transferred to Iowa. Larkin, along with returning NCAA champion Richard Figueroa, will look to keep the Sun Devils in the NCAA team trophy hunt in the coming seasons.
Hipolito, a redshirt freshman, is expected to step into Virginia Tech's lineup at 157 pounds. A native of Brazil, Hipolito didn't start wrestling until his sophomore year of high school. He started his athletic journey in jiu jitsu at the age of 3. He has gone on to become a multiple-time world champion in jiu-jitsu. In addition, he has picked up the sport of wrestling quickly. After winning a couple state championships in Virginia, Hipolito came to Virginia Tech last year and excelled as redshirt, compiling a 13-6 record. The Hokies return a strong team with several ranked wrestlers, led by returning NCAA champion Caleb Henson (149). Hipolito is a wrestler to keep an eye on this season and could play a key factor in Virginia Tech's success.
Sasso will go down as one of the all-time great Buckeye wrestlers. His wrestling resume speaks for itself. A two-time NCAA finalist and two-time Big Ten champion, Sasso appeared ready to make a run for the elusive NCAA title last season before his life was turned upside down. In August of 2023, Sasso was shot in the abdomen when two teens attempted to steal his vehicle. He underwent emergency surgery to reconstruct his colon and had a second surgery to remove the bullet near his spine. With a long road to recovery ahead, it appeared at the time that his wrestling career might be over. But Sasso has been determined to get back on the mat. Five months after the incident, Sasso was able to practice again and now has his sights set on getting back in the Buckeye lineup and finishing his college wrestling career strong. He's now up at 165 pounds and will battle teammate Bryce Hepner for the starting spot. Sasso recently wrote on Instagram, "Not wrestling again was never an option for me. I'll do whatever it takes to go out there and get my hand raised again. This season is about to be a movie, and I just thank God I'm able to do what I love every day."
Taylor, a three-time Nebraska state champion and U20 Pan American champion, had a tremendous redshirt freshman season, earning All-America honors at 165 pounds despite being undersized for the weight class. This season he has moved down to 157 pounds, a more natural weight class for him. Taylor will look to take that next step from All-American to national title contender in what is expected to be a wide-open weight class. He is one of four returning All-Americans for a Nebraska team that should be battling for a team trophy in March.
After spending the past three seasons at Wisconsin, Hamiti made the decision to transfer to Oklahoma State after the 2024 NCAAs. He will wrestle for first-year head coach David Taylor, one of the greatest American wrestlers ever. Not only does Hamiti have a new home but also a new weight class. He is moving up from 165 pounds to 174 pounds. Hamiti earned All-America honors in his first two seasons at Wisconsin before failing to place for the first time in his college wrestling career as a junior last season. At Oklahoma State's media day, Hamiti said he feels like 174 pounds is a better fit for him. "I think I'll feel a lot better," Hamiti said. "I have a taller, a little bit of a bigger frame, just being able to be close to nine pounds bigger, being able to have that energy and not feeling my legs wobble in the tired period, getting tired. I think it will be a great improvement going up." Hamiti, along with All-American transfers Cam Amine and Wyatt Hendrickson, will help jumpstart the David Taylor era at Oklahoma State.
